


Goodbye

by caboodles (orphan_account)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst and Fluff, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Other, Ryan is leaving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-03
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-17 23:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1407166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/caboodles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan can't live like this anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> A short little thing to apologize to you guys for only ever writing Ryan/Ray anymore

It begins in the way that most things involving Ryan's five coworkers do- wildly and spontaneously, and, perhaps, a tad bit insane. But then again, Ryan wouldn't have expected it to happen any other way. He just never expects to be included.

Gavin mentions it first, jokingly, during a Let's Play; but the wheels in Ryan's head start to turn as he sees the looks on the other four's faces. Sure, it isn't the most well kept secret that the five of them are in a polyamorous relationship, but even Gavin's offer (joking as it is) is something Ryan hadn't even considered. It had never even crossed his mind that they night... want him. He mulls it over as the recording goes on, but sets it away that night. _Just a joke_ , he tells himself. _Just a joke. Just a joke._

Not a joke, it turns out. Geoff pulls him into an empty office the next morning with a motion for him to sit. He looks nervous; Ryan watches his brow furrow and his fingers twitch as he searches for the right words. After a minute or so he blurts, “Ryan, would you consider being with us?”

Ryan's breath hitches, and he straightens involuntarily. Geoff now watches quietly. It is Ryan's turn to fumble for words. “I... You mean, like, _together_ together?” Geoff nods. Ryan has never seen the man look so anxious. “I, uh. Yeah,” he decides, closing his eyes in resolution, voice a mere level above a whisper.

An excited squeak resounds from the closet as the door swings open. Gavin hurtles across the room, a sheepish Michael standing in the doorway. Ray follows Gavin, though not as quickly; the Brit flings himself over the table towards Ryan, misses, and lands flat on his face. Ray gets to Ryan first, throwing his arms around the man's neck and cheering, quietly, so as not to deafen the Gent. Michael is laughing at Gavin, Geoff joining in as Gavin yanks Michael to the ground with him, and Ray's embrace is warm and comfortable. Jack finds them a few minutes later, Gavin in Michael's headlock, and Geoff nearly wheezing with laughter. Ryan smiles at him over the Lad's shoulder.

-

The boys live together in a moderately sized home with ample living room space, a cozy (yet functional) kitchen, and a large bedroom containing a full King in it. It is everything Ryan expected it to be, and yet when he moves in everything feels that much more perfect, more than any of them could have imagined. He spends time reading in the living room while the others play games. He cooks them dinner on Wednesday night and breakfast on Monday morning. At night, he ends up with Gavin or Ray on his chest, Geoff on his right and Jack on his left. Sometimes Michael steals Gavin's spot to antagonize him. Ryan just chuckles those nights and pulls Michael close. Out of spite, Gavin would flop down on Geoff's chest and initiate a shoving match with the redhead, much to the chagrin of the oldest Gent.

For three months, everything is, more or less, perfect.

-

One morning, Ryan wakes up an everything is wrong. He is filled instantly with dread, and he avoids the other five men preparing for work, muttering something about coming in later. He runs frantically through his memories from the start- their first date, the dizzying sensation the first time he'd kissed each of them, the joy on their faces when he'd agreed to move in- but he cannot pinpoint the specific instance. Had it always been this way? He isn't sure anymore.

It is when he is alone in the home office when it hits him. Of course it has always been this way. It wasn't like they _really_ wanted him there anyways. They were just pretending to want him so that their whole relationship wouldn't be so constrained in the office.

The world comes crashing down around Ryan's shoulders. But, then again, it doesn't. His life is just repeating the same pattern it always does; as with his parents, his school mates, and each of his ex-girlfriends, he just isn't wanted anymore.

-

Ryan's bags are packed; he is ready to go. The weight of the resignation letter in is pocket grows heavier with each step he takes towards the office. He's timed it well- with everyone busy in other areas of the building, there will be no one in the office to see him grab his possessions and leave.

He steels himself and opens the door. With a start, he realizes the office is not empty.

Ray's eyes meet his and then glance down at the letter in his fingers. Eyebrows shoot up questioningly. “Fan mail this early? Who for?”

Ryan swallows and prays Ray cannot hear his heart pounding. “... Geoff,” he blurts out. Then his feet are moving him to the desk behind Ray's. The Lad turns back to his own monitor and continues editing. While he is immersed, Ryan is able to set the letter down and to grab the most essential of his things. Ray does not hear him leave.

-

Geoff and the others come back to the office earlier than expected. Geoff's face lights up to see the letter on his desk- he so rarely receives actual _fan mail_ anymore and the sheer thrill of the handwritten letter prevents him from noticing the lack of postage stamp or address on the front. He tears it open eagerly and begins reading it.

Gavin, who happens to be watching Geoff, thinks he's never seen his partner's expression turn so quickly. One moment, he is smiling and pulling at the folded paper; the next, his eyes widen and his smile plummets. A rush of anger shoots through Gavin as he sees Geoff's hands begin to shake.

Geoff suddenly stands and runs towards the back of the building, towards Lindsey and Ryan's desks. The letter flutters to the ground behind him in his haste, and it is Jack that picks it up, the concern that is evident on his features mirroring that of the Lads. He skims the letter and his brows furrow. After a few lines, his breath catches, and he looks up at the three men in front of him in shock and disbelief. Then, he is thrusting it into Michael's hands, running out, calling Geoff's name. Gavin and Ray hurriedly read the letter over Michael's shoulders.

 

_Geoff-_

_I'm sorry it has to be so soon. I'm leaving Rooster Teeth today and I won't be coming back. Take good care of the boys and remember to feed Edgar._

_-Ryan_

 

It is short and shakily penned but the words strike a chord deep in the Lads' hearts all the same. Ray lets out a quiet whimper, and Gavin staggers backwards. Michael's knuckles turn white with the force of his grip on the now-crumpled paper. He throws it back on the desk and yanks the other two boys with him to his car. Ray shivers like a leaf and Gavin sits in the back with him, urgently trying to calm him down.

Michael goes a bit too fast in his rush to get home. Gavin asks him to slow down, and Michael can vaguely register the nausea in his voice. He eases up on the gas. Streets still fly by, but Michael's brain is going a hundred miles faster.

He finally relaxes when he sees Ryan's car parked outside. Ryan must still be home.

-

Ryan is making his last checks when the door audibly flies open. He jumps once at the sudden volume and again as the voices call up the stairs.

“Ryan, are you here?” A shaky, quiet call. Ray.

“Ry-bread!” Gavin, laced with concern.

“Ryan, what the fuck?” He winces. Michael is definitely angry.

Three sets of footsteps make their way up the short flight of stairs, and the doorknob turns. Suddenly, he can't move, can't breathe. Suddenly, they are in the room, yanking the bags from his hands and setting them on the floor. Suddenly, Ryan has an armful of Puerto Rican, and then Brit, and then Michael hits his arm and starts yelling.

“Ryan, what the _fuck_ are you thinking?” He screams, though Ryan sees the tears in his eyes and hears the crack in his voice. “Where are you _going_?”

“Are you leaving us?” Gavin asks quietly, hands clenched into fists. To his side, Ray is in a fit of silent sobs. His watery brown eyes search Ryan's face for an answer.

Ryan's heart breaks.

“... I was,” he finally admits. “But not anymore,” he adds, seeing the looks on their faces intensify.

Ray, unable to hold back, manages a hoarse cry and wraps his arms around Ryan's shoulders. “Please, d-don't do that again,” he whispers into Ryan's ear. Ryan feels the prickling of tears in his eyes, and he holds Ray back, tighter.

“I won't,” is all he can say before Ray kisses him hard, desperate.

-

Jack and Geoff come home to the same sight- Ray in Ryan's arms, still sniffling, Michael and Gavin on either side of the Gent on the bed. Geoff lets out a half-surprised, half-relieved noise, and Jack drops his bag on the floor, next to Ryan's discarded suitcase and duffel. They are to the bed in an instant, sandwiching Ray in their attempts to embrace Ryan.

“Jesus dicks, Ryan, never do that again,” Geoff mumbles into his shoulder. Ryan hears the fondness and relief behind his words.

Jack lets out a ragged sigh, obviously holding back tears. Ray squirms to make room for Geoff. Michael has a firm grasp on Ryan's hand, trying to anchor both of them down, and Gavin has his face buried in the crook of Ryan's other arm. It's warm and a jumbled mess, but, at the same time, it is so tender that Ryan can't help but choke back a sob. He feels it emanating from all five men around him, and he knows they can feel it in waves from him, too.

He is loved.

 


End file.
